Blood & Potions Section One:Snakes and Night Skies
by Cardinal Syn
Summary: *Ch. 8 uploaded 2/03/03* Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.
1. “I’ll... consider it”

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**1/? ("I'll... consider it" )  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**Story Last Updated:** September 15, 2002  
  
**Story Notes (added September 15, 2002):** I have finally finished reading all 4 of the first Harry Potter books (and it will be a while til I can get my hands on Book Five, there are over 1000 holds on it at my local library and I can't afford to buy it when it's out =.( Nuts!). And so, after reading the events in Book Four, I have decided to revise the first six chapters of my story to coincide with these events. (Good thing I'm only halfway done with chapter seven at the point of revision!!!)  
  
This chapter HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED - there was nothing that I needed to add.  
  
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail. 

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART ONE -   
**"I'll... consider it."**  
______________________________________________________________________________

"With all due respect, Headmaster Dumbledore, I don't think it's a very good idea."

The voice was rich, female, and strong. It lacked any British accent, signifying her being raised in America. Probably the northwest. 

"Oh, call me Albus. It isn't fair for me to call you Lilium, when you have to use such formalities," a kind old voice, deep, very accented, and very wise said. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "And I personally think it is a _very_ good idea. With the rise in the vampiric population and the growing aggressiveness of such, I feel it is necessary to teach the students here at Hogwarts how to defend themselves against them."

Professor Severus Snape stood just outside the doorway to Albus' chambers, waiting for this private meeting to be over so he could discuss something with Dumbledore. He wasn't eavesdropping, but he certainly wasn't trying not to listen. If they wished to discuss such matters in private, they should do it with the door shut. He stood patiently, his arms crossed, holding his elbows, an unnoticed shadow in the doorway.

The woman Albus was talking to sat in a chair on the other side of Albus' desk, her hands dangling over the edges of the armrest. Her wavy, shoulder-length red-brown hair was allowed to fall forward over her shoulders as far as its length would allow. Violet eyes regarded the Headmaster seriously. Her name was Lilium Beryl. She was a Dhampir, and the world's most renowned vampire specialist.

"Don't you think it would be dangerous?" Lilium asked.

"To teach children how to protect themselves? How so?" Albus asked innocently. The woman frowned. Her lips were duo-toned, the upper lip painted black, the lower red. It was a bit punkish, but with her general style and features, she pulled it off well.

"You know what I mean Albus. As a Dhampir, I am a danger to myself and others. How can you ask me to teach a roomful of children? Granted, the students here are ranging from eleven to nineteen, but doesn't that worry you even more? That is the prize age variance for vampires," she remarked worriedly. Albus smiled gently, and Severus, still watching unnoticed, frowned.

"Be that as it may, you are only a _Dhampir_, child," he said. "And one of the most in-control one of your kind to date. You're also the only specialist regarding not only in normal vampires, but anything pertaining _to_ vampires, including Lamiæ, which, as you know, is a subject many of the children here would like to learn about." Lilium waved a hand languidly.

"Yes, I heard about miss Liam. I am looking forward to meeting her before I leave. And her _nekohito_ friend." She placed great emphasis on "before I leave", a further indicant of her intention of turning down the teaching position. 

"You know of all the times when you'll be the biggest danger to the children - you could simply work your class schedule around that."

"The children will have a _very _irregular class schedule if I am to do that, Albus," Lilium remarked. "As it is, I have thought about it, and they would have a shorter class year than the rest of the students."

"Which they won't mind, I'm sure," Albus said with amusement. His face and voice lost their humor, and began to reflect the seriousness of his request. "Lilium, it is _imperative _that you take this job. I can't think of anyone else I would trust enough to work with these students on matters of such importance. You are the _only_ one who knows as much as you do - and I think the only one who could teach it to these children, as it comes to you naturally."

Lilium stood, crossing her arms under her breasts. She was tall and slender, her skin pale, but nowhere near as pale as that of a full-blooded vampire. She was dressed in a plain black velvet skirt, a white peasant blouse, short black boots and a cloak. Her eyes had become as serious as Dumbledore's own.

"Precisely why I'm worried is because it 'comes to me naturally'. Even the most self-controlled of us can loose our tempers or our minds, and cause a lot of damage." Lilium stooped and picked up her bag from the floor. "I would rather not place these children in harm's way to teach them something they can learn themselves."

The woman turned and began to walk toward the door, her face reflecting her state of thought. Albus called one last thing after her.

"But remember, child - without having a good teacher," he began, emphasis on the word "good", "The only other way for these students to really _learn_... is to encounter vampires themselves. And we both know, even the smartest of students wouldn't survive a one-on-one with a powerful _nosferatu_."

Lilium raised one hand a little in show that she heard him, but continued on her way out, her eyes set on the floor as she considered everything she and the Headmaster had just discussed.

Professor Snape stepped aside as she walked past, but as he was about to enter, was stopped by the woman's voice behind him.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop." 

When he turned to give a sarcastic and altogether nasty reply, he saw she was already further down the corridor. He noticed that her footsteps made no sound, and that she moved with inhuman grace. Vampiric in her movements, but as close to human as she could get in her features - she lacked the all-around vampiness of her kin. Her skin wasn't quite as pale as most would be, her eyes not quite as fathomless, from what Snape could see.

But perhaps her senses were sharper than he had thought. Even if Albus hadn't noticed Snape - which he was rather sure the old man did, as he seemed to notice _everything_ that happened in Hogwarts - _she_ had noticed him. She had known he was there the whole time. Interesting.

Professor Snape entered the room, shutting the door behind himself quietly. He walked over to Albus, who smiled at him.

"What do you think, Severus?" Albus asked. 

"I am assuming you are speaking of your choice for the new Defense Against Vampires position," Professor Snape replied, his silky voice as languid and calm as ever.

"You assume correctly," Dumbledore replied with a smile. He leaned back in his chair, regarding Snape in silence, waiting for the Potions Master's opinion. Snape took a seat where the woman had been only moments before, considering.

"You have a point, naturally, that one with experience in the field and extensive knowledge should be chosen," he began. "But she was correct in speaking of the danger to Hogwarts students." Albus shook his head.

"Lilium Beryl is not as much of a threat as she believes herself to be," Dumbledore commented. "She is very much in control. And it would be just as dangerous as having a former Death Eater teaching potions," he added with an underlying tone, conveying his own feelings on the matter with as few words as needed. Snape frowned darkly, but didn't reply.

Snape knew that Dumbledore trusted him, and was amazed at that, even though he had no intention of returning to the "dark side". And because of that very thing, he had to consent to Albus' point on the matter of Lilium's danger to herself and to the school being minor.

"At any rate, it doesn't really matter what I think in this case, Albus," Snape drawled. "It is up to you and the woman herself whether or not she gets the position." 

Albus nodded. "True. Now, what did you come to see me about?"

(_' ) ( '_' ) ( '_) ( ) (_' ) ( '_' ) (^_^) (^_~)

The last place Lilium had to visit was the dungeon, and the Potions class. Unfortunately, class was currently in session, but Albus had arranged with the Potions professor to allow her observe class for the last few minutes, and be introduced to a few students. All in hopes of convincing her to change her mind about turning down the job.

But at least she would finally get to meet Liam, and Harry Potter as well. Apparently, Liam and Potter, as well as their friends, had Potions class together. 

Lilium stood at the Potions class door, took a deep breath, and resisted the urge to sneeze when the scents of varied and plentiful herbs and other, less pleasant Potions ingredients assaulted her sensitive nose. _~Damn it,~ _she thought. ~_That room reeks. The potions ingredients are bad enough... sweat, mildew, ugh. I will _never_ be used to having a hypersensitive nose.~_

Hesitantly, mainly due to her disgust with the scents contained in the dungeon, and partially because she had a bad feeling that the man she had walked past and snapped at a few days earlier was the teacher here - Professor Severus Snape, she believed his name was, and even THAT sounded spooky - as she hadn't seen him in any of the other classes.

~_There's just something about a man all in black who stares at you that creeps you out and turns you on at the same time,_~ she thought, and smirked. She knocked on the door and quickly allowed her curiosity replace the smile. The door was opened by a young man of about fourteen or fifteen with slicked-back blond hair and sharp eyes. Lilium could tell he was a Slytherin simply by the look on his face, let alone Slytherin House badge and his green-and-silver tie.

"What do you want? Class is in session," the boy said snottily. Lilium smiled slowly at the boy, and silently laughed at his blinking and sudden confusion. Even Dhampirs had that mesmerizing effect on others.

As she was about to respond to the boy, his teacher appeared behind him. 

~_I was right. He doesn't look too happy,_~ Lilium thought to herself.

"Malfoy, go back to your seat." The boy did as his Head of House said, throwing an uncertain look back at Lilium. Now, Professor Snape addressed Lilium herself. "Come in and be quiet. Stand near the door until the end of class."

Lilium frowned at his snappish and bossy attitude. Tossing her hair back over her shoulder, she silently walked past him to lean against the wall by the door. She could feel his black eyes boring into her, and effectively ignored him.

The Potions professor returned to his cauldron, and addressed the class. "If I catch any of you doing anything but putting the finishing touches on your potions during the last few moments of class, I will take ten points off of your House. Ignore our... guest," he said, looking out of the corner of his eye at Lilium, who, although seething from his general attitude toward her, smiled back pleasantly, "Until class is over. Now, the last ingredient for a Burn Healing potion is Foxtail - remember, this is _not_ to be ingested. Most of the ingredients are poisonous - and if you're not smart enough to be aware of that, you are indeed in trouble."

Lilium noticed his piercing black eyes focus on a young boy with brown hair. ~_Neville Longbottom, I believe,~_ she thought to herself. ~_Professor McGonagall introduced me to him..._~

The boy knew he was being referred to and reddened trying to slide under his desk in embarrassment. The Slytherin children snickered, and she noticed a small group of children sitting around Neville throw dirty looks at Professor Snape.

One was a young Gryffindor girl with wild brown hair and a very studious air about her. Another was a Gryffindor boy with flaming red hair. A third was the blue-haired cat-girl the school had recently taken on, meaning that the black-haired, green-eyed girl next to her was Liam Crescent, the Lamia, and the only Slytherin not laughing. And the fifth boy, who had messy dark hair and kind eyes, the hints of a zigzagging scar visible through his bangs. Another Gryffindor, and undoubtedly Harry Potter himself. Lilium tilted her head and looked at the group speculatively.

~_An odd bunch of friends,~_ she thought. ~_I like those five already, and I liked Neville when I met him. He's a sweety.~_

As the class wound down, Snape looked over at Lilium briefly.

"Now. You may have heard about the new class that will be added to next year's lesson plan - Defense Against Vampires," the Professor drawled, walking slowly over toward the woman standing near the door, his hands on his hips. "This woman is Headmaster Dumbledore's lead candidate for the position as teacher for that class." He gestured for her to stand before the rows of students. "Introduce yourself."

Lilium threw him a look from behind drooping eyelashes, and moved to the center of the room group of students, basically where the Gryffindor(-plus-one-Slytherin) group sat. Liam looked at her with keen interest, and the wild-haired girl with equal intensity. Some of the older boys elbowed each other and began to whisper. Amused inwardly, but not showing it in her facial expression, Lilium crossed her arms under her breasts, her robes whispering.

The robes she had been asked to wear while on Hogwarts grounds were like adult versions of the robes the children wore - basically, teacher's robes. She wore a plain black shirt under the robes, and a floor-length gray skirt. She looked ethereal in the dim lighting, and she knew that with only a change in expression she could look just as frightening as Professor Snape. But for now, she took the stern-but-friendly approach used by Albus Dumbledore himself.

"Hush, please," She said. The whip crack tone of her voice, barely softened by the almost whispery quality it had, brought them in line. The students looked at her in expectance. "My name is Lilium Beryl. I am, as Professor Snape said, first in line for the position of Defense Against Vampires. You are the only class I have the opportunity to greet, and for the most part," and here she smiled at the Gryffindor(-plus-one-Slytherin) group before her, "I am pleased with the students at this school. 

"I have had the pleasure of meeting a few of you, Neville Longbottom being one of them, up close, and was introduced properly before I came here today." Neville smiled at her nervously, and she smiled back warmly. "So far, beside a few rather startling exceptions..." Her eyes went first to the boy referred to by Snape as Malfoy, and then to the Potion's professor himself, but only briefly, as she swept her eyes among the Slytherin quarters of the class, "Most of this school has been very welcoming and pleasant to me. But I am still planning on turning down the position."

The brown-haired girl raised her hand, looking puzzled. Lilium nodded.

"If you enjoy the school and the students, why won't you take the position?" she asked.

Lilium tilted her head to the side. ~_I think her name is Hermione. Yes that's it._~ "Hermione, am I correct?" The girl nodded, looking extremely pleased with Lilium knowing her name. "Hermione, I have a few reasons for not wishing to accept the position as Defense Against Vampires teacher. For one, I myself am a Dhampir, which would complicate things a little. And for another, I believe that there are other equally good teachers out there, who would _want_ the job."

"If you don't mind my saying so," a young Slytherin piped up, "Aren't Dhampirs half-vampire themselves? Is that what you mean by it being complicated? You don't want us knowing how to kill you and your own kind?"

Lilium's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Actually, as far as I am concerned, if a vampire or even Dhampir threatens you, I am all for your defending yourself. Even if it means killing the creature in question. But one of the things you will need to learn is discerning which is which, and how to tell if who or what you are dealing with is really a threat."

"Aren't _all_ vampires a threat?" Malfoy asked. His eyes glittered at her, and she knew he was trying to fluster her.

"Not really. Some are actually very peaceful. My mother was one of the fairly peaceful ones," she said, smiling at the boy. "But my step-father wasn't - I was raised with a very violent vampire step-father, and thus saw both the good and bad of vampiric kind. Which is another reason why Albus chose me. I know about vampires from every point of the good-bad spectrum."

Liam Crescent raised her hand slowly. Lilium looked to her now, her violet eyes softer than they had been when they had been trained on Malfoy. 

"Madame, my name is Liam Crescent, which I believe you know. This past year, I have been learning at Hogwarts with my friend Nii Nah, who, as you can see," the green eyes flicked bemusedly to the blue-haired cat-girl, whose feet were kicking under the desk, her cat-ears twitching in rhythm with them, "Is definitely not human. And I myself am a Lamia. I heard that you have extensive knowledge about _all_ things vampiric, _including _Lamiæ, Dhampirs, and even Succubæ."

The Succubæ comment interested most of the males in the room. Lilium couldn't help but laugh softly.

"Yes, including every vampiric form of demon, ghouls and zombies. As well as Incubi."

"Then won't you be the best choice, as none of the other specialists bother to step outside the field of only vampires, and never bother to look at the other vampiric creatures out there?" Liam finished, her eyes burning with her own hunger for knowledge. Lilium realized that she wanted Lilium to take this job because she would learn the most from her.

Lilium looked away, now frustrated. ~_How can I turn this position down if everyone is throwing reasons why I should take it at me?_~ she thought in annoyance.

"Because she's probably _afraid_, Liam." Lilium stiffened. It was that Malfoy boy again. She slowly turned her head to look at him, her eyes icy. She also noted the way Malfoy used Liam's first name, when she had only caught him using people's _last_ names before. She catalogued that information away for later.

"Draco, be quiet," Liam said. "You're being rude."

"It's quite alright," Lilium said sweetly, walking over to where Draco Malfoy was seated. Professor Snape was only a few feet away from Malfoy's desk, and watched her movements intently. "He's right. Naturally, I _am _afraid. I fear for the safety of the students and teachers in this school to have a Dhampir amongst them. One thing you will learn is that half-breeds carry all the worst and best traits of both sides of the family," she said, turning to the students, speaking loudly and casually. 

"The good traits are the keen senses - hearing, smell, touch, taste, etcetera. But the _bad_ traits include the usual bloodlust and such. Even the most self-controlled of us are susceptible to it." She was looking at Draco again, a sweet smile on her face. She saw fear briefly flash in his eyes, and felt a tiny pang of satisfaction. She didn't _normally_ enjoy frightening people - just when they deserved it.

Professor Snape noticed this, and she felt his eyes on her again. She flicked her fingers toward the Head of Slytherin House, and sensed his annoyance at that dismissive gesture. She knew he was the only one who caught it, but could tell he was angry about it anyway.

She then turned her attention back to Liam and Hermione. "Are you still interested in having a Dhampir as a teacher?" They both nodded, not to be discouraged by her show for the raucous Slytherins. "And the rest of you?"

She was amazed to see more than three quarters of the class nod eagerly. Now _this_ flustered her. Only a few Slytherins didn't like the idea of her being their teacher - Malfoy was obviously one of them. She shook her head slowly. 

"Well?" a happy voice piped. She looked at Nii Nah Maxwell. "Are you going to take the job?" she asked, purring.

Still shaking her head with disbelief, walking toward the door and gesturing to Snape that he had his class back, she replied, "I'll... consider it."


	2. "I've decided to take the position"

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**2/? ("I've decided to take the job")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.

****

NOTES: Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....

****

A/N: Changes have been made to this chapter. Please see **Story Notes** below.  
  
**Story Last Updated:** September 15, 2002  
  
**Story Notes (added September 15, 2002):** (this is the same stuff I wrote in ch. 1's update (which consisted only of the notes and update note) I have finally finished reading all 4 of the first Harry Potter books (and it will be a while til I can get my hands on Book Five, there are over 1000 holds on it at my local library and I can't afford to buy it when it's out =.( Nuts!). And so, after reading the events in Book Four, I have decided to revise the first six chapters of my story to coincide with these events. (Good thing I'm only halfway done with chapter seven at the point of revision!!!)  
  
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail. 

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART TWO -   
**"I've decided to take the job"**  
______________________________________________________________________________

Angry and annoyed at Lilium, although not showing it (just yet), Snape asked her to wait a moment so he could discuss something with her. She apologized, saying she had to speak with Dumbledore, but would get back to him as quickly as she could, and left.

Wrapping up his class, sending the children off, Snape thought back to Lilium. She had handled the children rather expertly, but her deliberate frightening of Draco Malfoy and her dismissive attitude toward Snape himself annoyed him to no end. He knew she thought of him as arrogant and cold already, having just met him - everyone did, and the thought didn't bother him. But the fact that she stood up to him in his own class and mocked his authority, even ever so slightly, angered him.

Finishing clearing up his own area, picking up his wand form his desk and locking away his grade and record-books, he left his classroom with a flaring of his cloak. Once he was in the hall, he locked the door behind him, finished with the last class of the day. 

He spotted Lilium speaking with Hermione and Liam, and felt a fresh pang of anger. She had said she was to discuss something with Dumbledore, but naturally was willing to stop and chat with who were undoubtedly her two biggest fans yet. He walked over to them, stopping before the two third-years fluidly. 

"Miss Crescent, go back to your dorm and get ready for the evening meal. Class is dismissed."

Liam looked up at him, her brilliantly green eyes searching his own. He had the disturbing feeling that she was reading his soul - he realized that very few people had the ability to disturb him, and that Liam was one of them didn't surprise them. She was much as Snape was himself when he was her age. 

Liam turned back to Hermione and nodded. "I will speak with you later, Hermione." She then smiled at Lilium. "Good evening, Miss Beryl. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope that you will take the teaching position. I feel there is much for you to offer to the students here." 

With a nod of acknowledgement to Professor Snape, Liam excused herself and headed for the Slytherin dormitories. Snape now turned his attention on Hermione. 

"And you belong in your dorm as well, Miss Granger," he said coldly. Hermione nodded rapidly, and bid a quick farewell to Lilium before hugging her oversized book to her chest and speed walking off in the directiong of the Gryffindor dorms. Now his attention was on Lilium.

"You have some nerve," he said, his voice quiet and leaning dangerously toward menacing. "To act anything _but_ completely polite and adult in my class."

Miss Beryl looked up at him, for even though she was tall, he was still taller than she. Her violet eyes bored into the blackness of his own, and he felt much the same feeling as he got from Liam Crescent. 

"And how was I impolite? Oh, that's right - I returned your less-than-sweet gestures, looks, and various body language that conveyed your own personal thoughts of me to be less than pleasant to the whole _class._" Lilium's eyes glittered angrily. "Whereas, if I can recall, nothing I said or did would be undermining you _or_ your authority, and if it was, I did it in such a fashion that your students didn't catch it."

"The fact that you used such gestures at all -"

"The fact _is_, Professor Snape," Lilium interrupted, "unlike the children, I have every prerogative to return the favor to you. When _they_ do it, on the other hand, points are taken away from their house and they can be punished. And how, exactly, would you see to punishing _me_, Professor?" She was veritably purring, confident in her immunity to his scathing looks and powers of punishment and point-taking. "I'm not afraid of you, Professor Snape."

Inwardly raging now, Snape stepped closed to Lilium, stooping his head down to glare balefully down at her. 

"I am not seeking for you to be afraid of me, Miss Beryl. But I want you to understand _one_ thing - in my class, _no one _undermines my authority." His voice was tight and controlled, but the silkiness was gone and replaced with boiling anger. "Do. You. _Understand?"_

Lilium leaned closer to him, her own eyes glowing with contempt. "And I suggest you do the same. If you want respect from me, _Severus,_ show that _you _can respect _me_. If you feel you can't, if you feel I don't deserve it, you don't deserve mine."

She spun away quickly and stormed down the corridor, her black robes billowing about her, riding the winds of her anger.

Snape stood silently in the hall, collecting himself. And waiting for his heart to slow down.

/*\

Lilium walked purposefully, angry at herself for allowing Snape to get under her skin, as well as at him for being such an arrogant pig. She smiled stiffly at the various passersby who greeted her, but her anger was still palpable.

She reached the gargoyle that hid the passage to Dumbledore's office, and muttered the password. It jumped to the side, and she began the long ascent.

As she neared Dumbledore's office, her anger had all but dissipated. She couldn't help but wonder _why_ she had changed her mind. But then again, she _knew _why....

~_Why would I even want to work here in the first place?~_ she asked herself worriedly. ~_Weird things happen here every year... The whole thing with the Sorcerer's Stone two years ago... That whole Chamber of Secrets escapade.. Professor Lockhart _still _doesn't have all of his memory back, I hear.... Oh well, he was pretty stupid anyway... I never did like him...._~ She frowned again. ~_And now.... Sirius Black escaping... his coming to Hogwarts... having to watch my back while I'm here _now_,_~ 

She frowned to herself. ~_But why don't I sense anything particularly vicious out there in the Forest, or anywhere in this castle, at least where my senses can breach?_~ Lilium sighed. ~_But I know the answer to my own stupid question already.. I know why I'm going to work here..._~Her mind returned to the present, and to the task at hand, and of course, to her argument moments earlier.

She knew that her chat with Hermione and Liam angered Snape even more, but she wanted to speak to the two again before she left - at least, she _thought_ she was leaving. But now, she wasn't so sure.

~_Maybe he isn't in,_~ she thought. ~_Then I can just leave and not worry about it -_~

But even as this last desperate thought entered her mind, the door swung open. Dumbledore smiled at Lilium pleasantly. 

"I was just on my way to dinner," he said, stepping out into the hall with her. "Care to walk with me?"

"Er, of course," Lilium replied, flustered. "But Sir, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"And what may that be, my dear?"

"Well..." Lilium crossed her arms, and began walking next to the Headmaster. "I've decided to take the job, at least for a year. If it doesn't work out, though, you will have to replace me with someone else." She frowned a little at Albus' knowing smile.

"I figured that the Potions class would change your mind. How do you like Liam and Hermione? And I believe you have finally met Professor Snape?" His eyebrows arched at her expression of disgust. "What's wrong, my dear? You look ill."

"Professor Snape," she started, her voice conveying her dislike of the man, "and I got off to a _very_ rough start. And I find myself disliking most of the Slytherin students, except for Liam. Hermione is very bright, and I'll enjoy teaching them, I think." Albus chuckled.

"Weren't you placed in Slytherin ten years ago, before your father angrily pulled you out of Hogwarts?"

Lilium smiled bemusedly, having hoped he would not have remembered that. "Yes."

When she was eleven, Lilium had gotten the chance to go to Hogwarts - but shortly after the Sorting and Welcoming Dinner, her father had arrived and dragged her back home, being in a _very_ bad mood and wishing to take it out on her. He couldn't since she was at Hogwarts, so removed her from the school.

"At any rate, I'm glad you've decided to take the job. I don't think I'll announce it until next year's Welcoming Dinner, along with everything else planned for next year...." he added, his eyes twinkling. Lilium looked at him curiously, but he changed the subject before she could ask. "So will you be leaving tonight, as planned?"

"Only to go and prepare for my new position here - pick up supplies, books, clothes, and so on. I'll probably be back within a week after the school year's end to plan everything out." Lilium and Dumbledore had reached the banquet hall. She sighed. "I just hope I'm making the right decision."


	3. *Violent*, aren't we?

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**3/? ("_Violent_, aren't we?" )  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the _first_ book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than **Searching for Acceptance** was. I rushed **S4A**.   
  
**Story Last Updated:** September 15, 2002  
  
**Story Notes (added September 15, 2002):** As you have seen, I have decided to revamp this fanfiction to coincide better with books 2, 3, and 4. The Triwizard Tournament WILL take place this time, and a few things will be mentioned (such as WHY Professor Lupin is still with Hogwarts.. nyurhurhur... I hand't finished reading Book Three when I had finished these next few chapters.. hehehehehehe, my bad ^^;) Things WILL be DRASTICALLY changed from the fourth book, however; Moody will not have come, Lilium is added, Lupin's still around... This is almost an A/U.. oi.  
  
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail. 

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART THREE -   
**"_Violent_, aren't we?"**  
______________________________________________________________________________

"Welcome back, old students, and a warm welcome to the new!" Headmaster Dumbledore said, his kindly voice penetrating the excited talk of the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He stood at his place at the High Table, smiling down at the shining faces of new students and old students alike.

His eyes wandered over Gryffindor table. More accurately, to Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and their newest friend made the previous year, Nii Nah Williams. The blue-haired, blue-tailed cat-girl was lapping up a bowl of milk, to the bemusement of her friends. Albus chuckled to himself. He liked that girl.

His eyes then went to the Slytherin table, where Draco Malfoy was trying to talk to Liam Crescent. Trying was indeed the word - Liam had the tendency to flat-out ignore him, but Draco would keep trying. Liam's green eyes were focused on nothing Albus could see - she was probably thinking to herself. The sharp-witted Lamia did that often, and Albus felt confident she was thinking about her classes for the year.

He then turned his attention to his own table - namely, to the two people sitting near each other but who made it clear they had no intentions of speaking to one another.

Professor Severus Snape, Potions teacher at Hogwarts for a very, very long time now, and Head of Slytherin House. He was talking to Professor McGonagall, which under normal circumstances he would avoid. But apparently, speaking to Minerva was preferable to speaking to the woman sitting next to him.

The woman sitting next to him happened to be the new Defense Against Vampires teacher, the Dhampir, Lilium Beryl. Lilium's red-brown hair was pulled back away from her face with a black silk cord, her wavy bangs still allowed to frame her pretty face. Her wide violet eyes were looking out over the young witches and wizards with boredom, her chin in her hand.

Although Lilium had never even finished her first _week_ at Hogwarts due to her abusive father, since she had been Sorted into Slytherin, she was to be recognized as a Slytherin teacher, and wore colors accordingly - a black velvet dress with a silver rope-belt around her waist, the frayed end tassels held with a large jade bead. She wore her teacher's robes as well.

She noticed Albus looking at her, and her brilliant violet eyes flicked over to him. He nodded at her, and she closed her eyes briefly, a visible sigh and her way to show she understood. She stood slowly, and Albus noticed the brief look Severus threw her. 

"Now, students of Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, calling their attention. The room became silent, and expectant faces were turned toward the High Table. Albus noticed the excited looks on Liam and Hermione's faces when they saw Lilium standing up with Albus. "There are a few announcements I would like to make before we begin our feast!

"First off, I would like to welcome back Professor Lupin. I have made arrangements for him to be able to stay on at Hogwarts, and although he is reluctant to stay, I'm sure many of you will be glad to have a teacher that has stayed on for more than one year in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position!" Deafening cheers filled the room, startling Professor Lupin and the few Hogwarts students (mainly Slytherins) who didn't want anything to do with him.

"Good, good," Dumbledore said, smiling, his blue eyes twinkling. "Second things, I would like to introduce to you a new teacher, and a new subject of study here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He gestured to Lilium.

"This is Madam Lilium Beryl. She is the newest instructor here at Hogwarts, and will be teaching Defense Against Vampires, which most of you heard about last year," Dumbledore announced. "Although she herself was never allowed to finish school here at Hogwarts when she was younger due to insidious circumstances involving her father, Madam Beryl was Sorted into Slytherin House, and after some discussion, it was decided that she would be recognized as a Slytherin teacher." Cheers from a few of the Slytherin students, sounds of disappointment from the children at the other tables. An annoyed frown marred Severus' features. "Madam," Albus finished, allowing Lilium to speak.

"First, I give my greetings to all First, Second, and Third years, as you, unfortunately, will be the only classes that will be able to get the most from Defense Against Vampires, as it is as four-year class," she said, "with additional snippets throughout the rest of your years at Hogwarts." She took a deep breath and looked out among the students of Hogwarts, and collected her thoughts. She blinked slowly, then nodded to herself.

"I am considering only taking this position for a year, and being replaced by next year, but the performance and general attitude of this school for this school year will determine whether I stay or go." Lilium smiled at Hermione and Liam, and then at Neville Longbottom. "When I visited last year, I met a handful of rather extraordinary students, who I really look forward to teaching. I hope to meet more of you as the year progresses, from the older classes as well as the new First Years.

"Not all of the First Years will be beginning my class this year, as there are so many of you. Same with the Second Years. But all of the older students will be taking my class four days out of the week, and I'm warning you now - you all have a lot to learn about vampires. So be prepared. And the school year for this class will be _shorter_ than that of a normal class, with one or two days out of the month, and a smattering of days throughout the year where you will be on _independent study_, as I will be leaving Hogwarts on those days for various reasons, none of which are open for discussion." She said the last firmly, her expression serious. 

Albus nodded to himself - she would be a wonderful teacher. The right mix of sternness with kindness. 

"Are there any questions?" Lilium asked. Several dozen hands went up. She nodded at someone. "Yes?"

"Um, if you didn't finish Hogwarts, um, why are you, um, recognized as a Slytherin teacher?" a young Hufflepuff First Year asked. Lilium's face contorted ever so briefly in a look of distaste at her House, but then she smiled.

"It was decided in a council meeting a few weeks ago." She shot the tiniest of looks at Professor Snape through the corner of her eye. "Other than one or two votes, most of the other teachers were for granting me House privileges - and the reason I'm in Slytherin was because, as Headmaster Dumbledore pointed out, I was Sorted into Slytherin when I had a chance to take school here."

Several more students asked her a few questions, and she skillfully avoided answering personal or class subject-related questions. Finally, a young boy raised his hand eagerly.

"Yes?"

"Are yeh really gonna teach us about Succubæ?" the young Irish boy asked. This drew laughter and whistles from the rest of his classmates. Lilium rolled her eyes heavenward. 

"Only in your Seventh Year." The younger students were clearly disappointed. Shaking her head, and checking to make sure there were no more hands raised, Lilium took her seat.  


Albus nodded at her, and she smiled back, looking rather relieved. He then turned back to the students.

"And finally, the annual Quidditch Cup has been canceled -" he raised his hands to stave off the boos and angry cries of the students, "Now, now - listen, please. This is because the Triwizard Tournament has been reinstated."

Gasps, looks of excitement passed throughout the tables. Dumbledore told them of the tournament's rules and past history, disappointing almost everyone when he spoke of the age limit.

When he was finished, he smiled. "Let the feast begin!"

[* }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ 3 }i{ *]

"The dinner went very well," Professor Minerva McGonagall said, complimenting Lilium. McGonagall was on her way to make sure the students were settled in their dorms for the night.

"Yes, it did," Lilium acknowledged. "I'm looking forward to classes beginning tomorrow, and the Triwizard Tournament! I'd had no idea it was being reinstated." 

"I can see it now, you will be very happy with this position!" Madam Trelawney said happily, gliding over to them from across the room. Lilium's lips quirked. 

"I don't think it takes a Third Eye to predict that, Madam, but thank you," she said politely. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for tomorrow."

Quickly slipping away from the other instructors, Lilium made her way down to her own room. It was in the Slytherin teacher's quarters, which, to her dismay, meant she had to pass through the same halls as Snape. She prayed she wouldn't run into him....

Lilium's prayers are rarely, if ever, answered.

"You have a way with words, _Miss_ Beryl," came a silky, masculine voice. Lilium stopped, sighing in annoyance. She turned with a very false smile.

"Thank you, Professor Snape, but I believe you are to refer to me as _Madam_ Beryl," Lilium said sweetly. Severus Snape walked forward out of the shadows of the hallway, his long black hair falling across his forehead. With a deft toss of his head, he threw his hair back away from his eyes. He smirked at her.

"I intend you no offense, Miss Beryl," he said, that sarcasm and infuriating superiority in his purring voice, "But I _hardly _think you have the experience or _age_ to be referred to as a _Madam._" Lilium's smile became less false and more razor-sharp. She grinned, more of a bearing of her teeth than anything.

"Well, that depends on one's point of view, I suppose, _Severus._" She rejoiced at the annoyance that flared in the depths of his black eyes. 

"I would greatly appreciate it," he said, his voice dangerously leaning toward menacing yet again, "If you would refer to me _only_ as Professor Snape."

"You can't always get what you want," Lilium said flippantly, losing her patients with this insufferable man. "And if you wish to refer to me as _Miss Beryl,_ I will continue to refer to you as _Severus_. If you have a problem with that, _stop calling me **Miss**_."

"Your childishness is greatly disturbing for a teacher," Professor Snape snapped angrily.

"Your _arrogance _is greatly disturbing for a Potions Master."

"If I am arrogant, I very well have a right to be - I have _earned _my title as Potions Master." He stepped closer to Lilium, that sneer set into his features. "Unlike _some people_, my position was earned rather than _granted_ out of pity."

Lilium glared at him. "What exactly are you imposing, _Severus?_"

"Only that you received this position because no one else would hire you. Which is true, is it not, _Miss Beryl_?" Severus asked, mimicking her tone of voice.

"I wasn't _looking _for a long-term job."

"Ah ha.. Well, At least you don't have to rely on _Daddy's_ money anymore, correct?"

Lilium's form became deathly still. Snape's eyes narrowed a little - she wasn't even breathing. He had the feeling he had stepped over the line as to just what she was going to tolerate. 

"For your _information_," Lilium said, her voice saturated with barely controlled rage, "I have _never _relied on him for _anything! _And even if I _had_, I would never have _gotten_ it. You don't know my family history very well, _do_ you?" She stalked silently closer to Severus, closing the remaining few feet between the two of them. Her violet eyes burned in the darkness of the evening halls. "It's a shame I don't know enough about your family history to make a comment about _your _family. But then, I wouldn't want to know about the history of someone who found themselves _so_ lacking in any _good _qualities that they had to go off and join Voldemort's Death Eaters!" She hissed. 

Lilium was shocked at how fast he moved. One hand was at her throat, the other pushing her back from her shoulder. She found her back pressed against the cold stone wall, the back of her head making a loud _snap_ as it hit the wall - hard. Trying to see around the stars dancing in her eyes from lack of air and from the pounding in her head, Lilium raised her hands up and grabbed Snape's wrists.

"_How the hell do you know about that?!_" Snape growled, his face barely inches from her own. "_Who **told** you?!"_ Lilium pulled at his hands, desperate for breath and for self-control. Emotions, fear and anger the most prominent, raged through her. She hissed in a breath as she managed to loosen his grip on her throat.

"_Violent_, aren't we?" she rasped. Her eyes pulsed, and she closed them tightly, gritting her teeth. She felt the tensing of Snape's muscles. She could feel the fangs drop down, and knew that this was what startled him. "Oh, don't be so shocked," she snapped, frustrated and annoyed. "I'm a _Dhampir_, the fangs come with everything else, and are purely a defense mechanism." 

Unbeknownst to him, she was fighting every instinct in her body now, all of which screamed at her to begin ripping at him with her nails and fangs, drain him of his blood and life for daring to attack her. But she fought, and, eventually, won out over her instincts. This took the merest of seconds, but it felt like hours before Severus had replied to her previous statement.

"I'm not taking your bloody class, _Beryl, _I asked you a damned question!" Snape's voice was barely louder than a whisper, but carried the strength of a shout. She winced, opening her eyes slowly, almost dazedly. 

"I could sense It on you, Snape," she said weakly. He blinked, obviously shocked by the sudden change in her tone. The fire in her eyes had all but died, and the fangs had gone. She was drawn, and paler than normal. She saw in his eyes that he realized that she had just used whatever strength she had left in her after the day's exploits to quell the vampire within herself. Even if she hated him, even if she wasn't above petty bickering, she still refused to attack him outright. 

Now, rather than the angry, potentially dangerous creature Snape had pinned against the wall in his own anger, he was veritably holding up nothing more than a spent human woman quivering from exhaustion under his hands. The change disturbed him, although he couldn't figure out why that was.

"_It?_" he demanded after a moment, when it became evident she wouldn't speak without provocation. She sighed.

"I can feel that Dark Mark on your arm, Snape," she whispered. Both of their eyes trailed to his left forearm. "I could sense that darkness inside of you. A Death Eater, Snape, is like a human vampire. I can feel them just as I can feel anything that doesn't belong in.. the.. Light." She suddenly collapsed, and Snape caught her, surprise registering in his eyes and face. Which, he noted gladly, no one was around to see.

Snape stood in the hallway for a moment longer, the unconscious Dhampir in his arms, before quickly going to her room to deposit her on her bed.

All the while, he couldn't help thinking that she had drained herself of energy, possibly in saving his life. She was stronger than even he physically, and he had seen her use her mesmeric powers on Draco Malfoy during her "visit" to his class last school year. Although he doubted her mesmerism would have worked on him, he knew she moved fast enough kill him before he could even reach his wand. 

The thought was disturbing. The thought was enticing. 

Again, as with the last time he had confronted her, he waited for his heart to slow down.

Once he was finally in his own chambers, in his own bed, and on the verge of sleep, he gladly relinquished thoughts of Lilium for the blackness of dreamless slumber. 


	4. "If it goes well...."

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**4/? ("If it goes well...")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the _first_ book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than **Searching for Acceptance** was. I rushed **S4A**. 

****

Story Last Updated: September 15, 2002  
  
**Story Notes (added September 15, 2002):** I know that in the previous chapter, the explanation of Lupin's remaining at Hogwarts via Dumbeldore was kinda simple.. but to be honest.. I just liked him ^_^ Next to Severus, he's my favorite Hogwarts teacher and I couldn't bear to see him go!  
  
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail and roast tastey marshmallows (or as someone says, Marshanmellows.. hehehehe.. Klu Ya...)

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART FOUR -   
**"If it goes well..."**  
______________________________________________________________________________

Nii Nah Maxwell, fifteen-year-old _nekohito_ (cat-person) and student of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the most hyper people you will _ever_ meet, raised her hand, nearly jumping out of her seat. It was the first day for Defense Against Vampires class, and she wanted to ask the instructor about one thing in specific. 

"Yes, Miss Maxwell?" Madam Beryl said, pausing in the removal of her materials from her satchel. Nii Nah's ears perked up (along with the rest of her).

"Um, when do we get to learn about Lamiæ? Liam won't tell me anything about them since this class started up," Nii Nah chimed, sticking her tongue out at Liam, who was sitting three rows back and to Nii Nah's left, so it required a little twisting in her seat. Liam just ignored her, and Nii Nah wilted visibly. 

"Not for a while yet, Miss Maxwell. Now, hush for a few moments until class starts."

"Yes, Ma'am," Nii Nah said dejectedly. 

As Lilium finished setting up her large oak desk and moving to lean against the front of it so she was visible to the whole class, she observed her first set of students.

The classroom was full of fifty Fourth-Years. The class was sectioned by House to prevent squabbling between students - Hufflepuff to the left, closest to the door, had twelve students sitting in three rows of four. Ravenclaw, seated next to them, had twelve students as well, seated in similar fashion. Gryffindor was next with three rows of four, and one extra straggler sitting wherever he or she liked in the space bwteen the Gryffindor's three rows and the Slytherin students. Slytherin had three rows of four, plus one extra student as well, who sat anywhere they wished on the far-right end of the desks.

Currently, Nii Nah was sitting in the middle of the three bare rows next to Gryffindor House's seats, to Hermione Granger's left, and just behind and to the left of Ron Weasley. Lilium shook her head, not in the least surprised they had all managed to get the class together - even Liam Crescent and Draco Malfoy were in this class. She hoped Draco wouldn't start anything.

At that thought, her violet eyes flicked over to Malfoy, and lightened a shade in amusement. He was still trying to talk to Liam. This time, the Lamia was actually answering his questions, but in short sentences using as few words as possible. Lilium smiled to herself. She then glanced at the clock on the far wall and nodded.

"All right, class. Welcome to your first Defense Against Vampires lesson. I'm your instructor, Lilium Beryl, which you know." She ran a her hands over her ponytail and checked to make sure her bangs were still being held back by the pins she had used to keep them out of her eyes. "I'm going to lay out your lesson plan now.

"The first, foremost thing I'm going to go over is, naturally, vampires, as well as their half-breed offspring, Dhampir. I know the most about those two species of vampiric creatures, as I myself am a Dhampir, raised by vampiric parents," Lilium said. "I'm going to try to cram as much about the truth as well as _myths _about vampires into this year as possible. This includes all useful plants, all protective charms, and yes, ways to kill them." This got a few snickers from the Slytherin section, which she ignored.

"I hope to get into the herbs in two day's time, in time for your next class with me." Lilium shifted her position, bracing herself up with both hands on the desk and crossing her ankles. "I'll _try_ to get a few of the herbs and things I need from Professor Snape, but I'm not promising anything - we may have to wait to get into that until after one of my 'trips' away from Hogwarts, as I will pick some up then."

Harry Potter raised his hand.

"Yes, Mister Potter?"

"What exactly will we be discussing _today_?" he asked. His face looked expectant, and Lilium smiled.

"That is a good question. Today I will be discussing the general trues and falses of vampiric lore, and we'll have a Q and A. If it goes well, we might end every class with a brief questions and answers section," Lilium replied. The students seemed to like that idea, and she sighed inwardly, relieved. ~_So far so good,_~ she thought. 

Draco Malfoy raised his hand. ~_Spoke too soon,_~ Lilium thought. "Yes, Mister Malfoy."

"Isn't the best way to kill a vampire a stake through his - or _her_ - heart?" he asked. He had that eerie Slytherin gleam in his eye, and Lilium really didn't like the way he emphasized "her". But at least she would have the great pleasure of correcting him.

"No, actually, Mister Malfoy. Depending on the species (we'll get into the species of vampires in a little while), Impaling a vampire only paralyzes it to the spot. They cannot move, as they are held to the ground - or even wall - with the stake," Lilium said. "And this, I think, it actually a good way to start today's lesson - thank you, Draco," she said. She actually meant it, as she hadn't had the slightest idea as to how to break into the subjects she needed to speak about. The blonde boy looked positively shocked that he had actually _helped_ Lilium with his question.

"One of the many known myths about vampires is the staking through the heart. Which goes right along with the myth that vampires don't have souls - they do, but in most cases, they are corrupt. Vampirism is a case of being cursed so that your soul cannot leave the body after its death, thus causing the reanimation of the corpse." Lilium shoved herself away from her desk, and began to pace down the spacious walkway in front of the rows of students, gesturing as she spoke. "Due to the _special circumstances _of vampirism - the causes of which is as yet unknown, even to me - the vampire's body can be kept fresh by replenishing it with oxygen, attainable only from the blood of the living.

"Zombies are animated corpses that _lack _souls, feeding off of the impulses of the yet-undead brain which tell it to do the most primal of things, the basest of things it can still function well enough to do, which is eat." One reason why Lilium was a good teacher and a good speaker was in that she inadvertently threw out small amounts of Charisma and Charm as she spoke, in order to keep her audience's attention on her. It worked here. "Ghouls - and there _is_ a difference, children, between ghouls and zombies, but we'll get into that in more detail either later this year or sometime next. Ghouls are much like vampires, but their bodies are still rotting - no amount of feeding on fresh blood will turn that around.

"They are still conscious, they still have souls trapped within them, but the power that vampires have to keep their bodies from rotting away is lacking. Even vampires are still trying to figure out _why_." Hermione Granger now raised a hand. "Yes, Hermione?"

"I believe what you meant by zombies and ghouls being different is how they are made. Does that have anything to do with the fact that zombies are revived corpses, and, if my sources are correct, ghouls are usually created by _vampires?_" Hermione asked, her brown eyes focused on Lilium's face. She looked happy when Lilium nodded.

"In most cases, that's correct - ghouls are produced when vampires _fail_ at the more complex vampiric reproduction of blood-exchange," Lilium said, stopping in her pacing and folding her arms. "A ghoul is either someone who died prematurely in their change only to wake half-formed, or are sometimes deliberately made to be temporary lackeys for the vampire in question, as they are blood-bonded to their creators just as a complete fledgling would be."

"Fascinating!"

Class continued on this way. Finally, after teaching them which of the old lore were reliable in learning about real vampires, the Q&A began. Draco's question was up now.

"Is it _true_, what I heard, about your coming from a _very _violent home life?" Draco asked casually. Lilium smiled tightly.

"Yes. My step-father was very abusive. Most vampires don't like the half-breeds, and he was one of them." ~_He hated me,_~ she remembered. ~_I still have many of the scars he left me - they'll never heal, not unless I embrace my vampiric side, which is what he wanted._~

Liam now raised her hand. Lilium nodded to her.

"I know you can walk in sunlight, Madam Beryl, but I was wondering - does it hurt?" Liam's head was tilted to the side, her green eyes puzzled. There was no malicious undertone - just open curiosity. "I understand that it wouldn't _kill_ you, but I would think that it would at least hurt."

There was silence. The class watched Lilium expectantly. She blinked a few times, slowly, concentrating on her answer. 

"Well.... I never really think about it anymore, I guess. But I suppose I _feel _it more than humans - or Lamiæ or _nekohito_," she added with a shadow of a smile, "And well.. yes. There _is_ pain. I never really think about it - I suppose I have gotten used to it over the years. But there is a continuous dull ache, even when indoors - and in the summer, I have to try to stay to shadows and wear strong sun block or something of the sort, or my skin will burn rather quickly."

"Is there anything else that bothers you that doesn't bother others due to the vampiric half of your blood?"

"Plenty," Lilium said, with a short, bitter laugh. "Very powerful swings in my emotions and moods, stronger senses... It's great most of the time, but sometimes it can be difficult, being able to hear something that wasn't meant for you to hear. It's distracting, seeing colors and movement normal eyes can't see. If I listen hard enough, if everything else remains silent, I can even hear the heartbeats of those around me, which is disturbing to say the least." 

She looked out of the window, and noticed now that she had avoided going near it. The rectangular-cut patch of sunlight was only inches from her feet, and she realized she could feel the sunlight's heat - uncomfortably warm - on her skin. 

There was an uncomfortable silence, then the bell rang to signify ending of this class period. The students all began to load up their scrolls and quills, and shuffle out the door. Lilium watched them go, her expression withdrawn and thoughtful. Liam stopped on her way out.

"I'm sorry if I brought up anything uncomfortable for you to speak about," she said. Her green eyes glittered at Lilium with open concern. The instructor just smiled and shook her head.

"I'm fine. It seems rather odd, doesn't it, that asking me about _sunlight_ would bother me more than Mister Malfoy's question about my family."

"You're probably used to thoughts of your family."

"True. Now run along, before Snape walks by or something. Don't make me deduct points from Slytherin," Lilium said, with a wink and a soft shove to get the girl going. Liam waved and walked out the door, where Draco was waiting to "walk her to her next class". Lilium arched an eyebrow. 

~_Gee, ain't that cute,_~ she thought sarcastically. ~_Gotta say I'm sorry for Liam._~


	5. “...which *really* makes me wonder...”

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**5/? (""...which _really_ makes me wonder..")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the _first_ book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than **Searching for Acceptance** was. I rushed **S4A**. 

****

Story Last Updated: September 15, 2002  
  
**Story Notes (added September 15, 2002):** Not too many changes.. please note that this won't really focus on the Triwizard Tourn. much.... I'm not going to rewrite the whole arrival of the foreign students and the goblet stuff and everything Harry did.. that's all the same... Just throw Lilium in there somewhere.... And.. take out Moody and replace him with Lupin.... Yeah...   
  
r/r is appreciated. Flames will be used to burn Severus Snape hate-mail and make s'mores. 

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART FIVE -   
**"...which _really_ makes me wonder..."**  
______________________________________________________________________________

The first term went by without much mishap - Madame Beryl only had to take twenty points away from anyone total, ten of which were from Slytherin, five from Gryffindor, and five from Ravenclaw due to a fistfight that broke out between Crabbe, Goyle, and some tough-looking Ravenclaw boy, during which Ron Weasley managed to hex Goyle into hiccupping bubbles. 

The whole Tournament thing proved Lilium's fears of weird stuff happening, as Harry Potter's name came out of the Goblet of Fire along with the names of Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum. She was puzzling over that with the other teachers, but wasn't too concerned, especially not after the way Harry handled the First Task, defeating that Hungarian Horntail dragon. Her relationship with Harry Potter and his closer friends had improved, as she was one of the few people that really believed Harry didn't put his own name in the Goblet of Fire.

It was break now, and Christmas and the TT Tournament's Yule Ball was coming up quickly, and Lilium was enjoying to the brief respite from class just as much as her students were (except for Harry, who REALLY wasn't looking forward to the Yule Ball).

But from what she could tell, her students _did_ enjoy the class - now the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher didn't have to bother with Vampires, so the workload for the kids would be smaller. And her homework wasn't that hard - plus, they _loved_ her "independent study" days, which she dreaded more than they could imagine. Not that she would tell them why.

  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room, playing Wizard's Chess with Ron while Harry polished the handle of his Firebolt, thinking longingly of Quidditch, the golden egg he had received after the First Task laying untouched in his trunk since first opening it. Nii Nah was curled up by the fire, taking a brief "catnap".

"What do you all think of Miss Lilium?" Hermione asked, as she had taken to calling the young instructor. Ron looked up at her, moving his horseman, which swiftly chopped the head off of her pawn.

"I like her, myself," Ron said. "I like the way she teaches, and her subjects for her reports aren't that hard - most of it is based on opinion." 

"Although that gives you the feeling she's trying to decide what to make of each of us by gathering information on us based on our reports," Nii Nah muttered, then returned to her snoring. Hermione shook her head.

"Opinionated stuff is harder for her to grade properly, so it puts more effort on _her _as our teacher," she said. "I respect her all the more for that."

"For a Slytherin-branded teacher, it's good to know she doesn't show her own House favoritism like _Snape _does," Harry remarked, putting the very last finishing touches on his racing broom with a satisfied smile. "Plus, I'm still really glad she doesn't believe all those rumors put out about that stupid Goblet and that horrid Skeeter woman generate." 

"Too true, that, about Snape and all," Ron agreed. "_I_ still want to know why she leaves on those little trips."

"I wonder if she would be keener on telling us now, not surrounded by all those Slytherins?" Hermione thought aloud. Ron looked up at her again.

"We _could_ go talk to her - I think she'd probably in the staff room. If we knock politely we could probably get her to talk to us. She's really friendly and all that." Ron frowned in disappointment when Hermione placed her queen strategically, destroying Ron's last Bishop and winning the game.

"Checkmate. And maybe we should. It's getting rather stuffy in here, and I wanted to take a walk anyway."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Lilium Beryl was indeed in the staff room. She was having a pleasant conversation with Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration Teacher, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts. Lilium stirred her tea absently, smiling at a comment Minerva made about the raucous Slytherin in her class.

"Honestly, the _only_ Slytherin child in Transfiguration who is even worth _trying_ to teach is that Liam. You have no idea how relieved I was when we decided not to expel her," Professor McGonagall said, taking a sip from her own tea. Professor Lupin smiled from across the table, and Lilium nodded. Lupin took another sip of his own tea.

"Really, those two are reasons why I stayed on after prodding from Dumbledore," Lupin said. "Nii Nah and Liam are pretty inspiring examples of non-humans being good enough to learn the Arts as well. Nii Nah may be ditzy but she's a good student, although she goes into sneezing fits when we're close because I'm a werewolf," Lupin added, grinning sheepishly. "And Liam is a very brilliant girl."

"She and that Hermione Granger are the two best students in my class, out of _all _of the children who are taking it, and the highest in their Houses," Lilium commented. "Now, I'm still not clear as to why Liam and Nii Nah weren't kicked out? It's a good thing, but I'm still puzzled."

"We were in a meeting discussing whether or not to do so," Minerva said, and then paused. Lilium looked at her expectantly. "Well, knowing how much you dislike the man, you may have trouble believing this, dear, but it was Professor Snape who insisted that they - Liam specifically - be given a chance." She smiled wanly at Lilium's grimace.

"He was probably just showing his usual Slytherin favoritism," the Defense Against Vampires instructor said disgustedly. Lupin grimaced when he noticed who had heard her comment. 

"What _about _my favoritism?" Snape said, gliding into the room in time to hear the comment. His voice was calm, silky as normal, but his narrowed black eyes shot venom at the brunette. Lilium tossed her hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist.

"I was telling her about your suggestion to allow Liam to stay," Minerva said, sensing the tension in the air. She disliked teachers having grudges against other teachers, but it couldn't be helped - Snape wasn't exactly the most friendly man in the world. Even the most friendly man in the world, had he come to Hogwarts, would have trouble liking the venomous, sarcastic, bitter man.

"Hm. For your information, _Miss_ Beryl," Snape veritably hissed, "I could see nothing wrong with allowing _either _of those girls to remain - the Gryffindor one as well."

"Nii Nah, _not_ 'the Gryffindor one', and don't play sweet," Lilium shot back. "It's obvious you don't _like _Nii Nah. Just as you're biased to dislike _any _Gryffindor. At least the Slytherin children tend to _give_ people a reason to dislike them, and _you_ don't make things any better with your damned favoritism. None of the other Heads of Houses show anywhere _near_ as much favoritism as you, and give credit - and punishment - where it's due." 

Professor Snape took a seat at the opposite side of the table, a few chairs down from Lilium. His narrowed eyes regarded her icily. "Whether and why I do or do _not_ like _any_ of the children, whatever House they are from, is _none_ of your concern."

"It is when it causes problems in _my_ class," Lilium said, frowning. "Just the other day, on the last day of the term, Vincent Crabbe used his wand improperly to inflict a curse on Ron Weasley. He was lucky the damned thing backfired and just broke a few things in my office - he could have killed Ron, playing with magic like that!" she snapped in annoyance. "And when I punished him, he and his little posse began complaining loudly that _you_ never took points away from Slytherin when they misused their magic, which _really_ makes me wonder if you're fit to _be_ a teacher, let alone Head of Slytherin House."

There was steely, ice-cold silence. Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House and Herbology teacher, who had been sitting near Professor Lupin, shifted uncomfortably. Lilium and Snape were having a staring contest, neither blinking. Lupin sat stock-still, unwilling to move and direct either teacher's attention to himself.

Slowly, Snape's lips curled up in an almost-smile, conveying what seemed to Lilium as a cross between sarcasm, hatred, and acknowledgement - of what, though? Of a fellow teacher, or a worthy rival? Of someone who was understandably upset about the children in his House, or someone who was happy to indulge in word-duels with him? Of a fellow teacher, or an enemy? 

"None of the Slytherin children have ever actively attempted such things in my class," Snape drawled slowly, languidly. "The fact that you can't keep them in _control_, as you _should_ be able to do as an instructor, causes _me_ to wonder about _your _ability as a teacher."

"That's quite enough, both of you," Professor McGonagall snapped, fearing where this was going. Wizards would occasionally challenge each other to duels, even in this day and age, to settle scores - she knew Lilium wasn't anywhere near as strong in her magic as Severus. But she also knew that Lilium wouldn't have any trouble ripping Snape to shreds. If they _did_ reach a point when they dueled, chances were that one would kill the other - Snape wouldn't hold back, and if attacked, she feared Lilium's vampiric instincts would overtake her.

"You will have to tolerate the favoritism Professor Snape shows toward his students, Lilium, there's not getting around it," Minerva addressed the Dhampir teacher. "But there is _no_ reason for you start picking fights amongst the other teachers, Severus. If you two continue to have problems, I will be forced to ask Professor Dumbledore to intervene."

The two frowned, and Snape's eyes flared. Lilium wouldn't look Minerva in the eye. They both knew they had been scolded just as Minerva would scold any child. But it had to be done. Whether or not either of them accepted that was not Professor McGonagall's concern. It had needed to be said. And she hoped they were both smart enough not to have to get Headmaster Dumbledore involved.... But she realized that they may make their quarrelling more private, and more violent. She would have to keep an eye on them.

There was a knock on the staff room door, and they all jumped. A relieved look on her face, Lilium got up to open it. The only people who would knock were students. She just hoped it wasn't Draco Malfoy....

The bright young faces of Hermione Granger, Nii Nah Maxwell, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley greeted her on the other side of the door. She smiled.

"Can I help you?" she asked. Hermione peeked around her, saw Snape, and poked Nii Nah.

"Ah, can we please talk to you, Madame Beryl?" Hermione asked. "We haven't had a chance to speak to you since class." Lilium nodded, and excused herself from the staff room, shutting the door behind her.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" she asked, folding her arms and smiling.

"Well.... And I know this really straight-forward, but..." Hermione began. Nii Nah stepped in when she hesitated. 

"Where exactly do you _go_ when you leave on those so-called 'independent study' days?" Nii Nah asked, her voice cautious. Lilium blinked a few times, obviously surprised.

"You all came all the way up here from the Gryffindor common room... to ask me that?" she said flatly. They all nodded.

"We're sorry if we're bothering you, and you really don't have to answer," Harry said quickly. Lilium laughed.

"Well, I _know_ I don't have to answer, Harry." She absently played with a lock of her hair. "Well... I have to leave on certain days for many reasons. Usually it involves my being a Dhampir... and they are usually prime days for vampires to go hunting. I'm also almost always needed elsewhere to help with the growing vampire problem." Her eyes shone meaningfully. "Do you understand yet?" Hermione's eyes lit up.

"Oh! So you go when you know it will be most difficult to control yourself around all of the humans here at the school, and also to track down and ah..." she faltered, and then said, in a small voice, "dispose of...."

"Vampires," Ron finished for her. Hermione threw him a thankful look. She didn't seem to like the idea much.

"Very good, Hermione. I'd give you points to your House, but that information, I fear, is irrelevant to your class," Lilium said meaningfully. She stressed her last words with her voice and a slight narrowing of her eyes. The four Fourth Years nodded.

"We won't say a word to anyone else," Harry said.

"I might tell Liam, but you can trust her, Madam Beryl," Nii Nah piped. "Is it okay if I tell Liam?" Lilium's eyes were unfocused, staring off vaguely at some thought in her mind. She nodded.

"I don't mind you telling Liam. But I don't want rumors flying around school because of this, all right?"

"Of course."


	6. "Merry Christmas"

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**6/? ("Merry Christmas")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the _first_ book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than **Searching for Acceptance** was. I rushed **S4A**.   
  
On another note, I figure I might as well tell you now (though I didn't bother to in previous parts, which I apologize for - I'm an idiot, ignore me). Most of this will be through Lilium's P.O.V. (Point of View to anyone who is new to Fanfiction Jargon), until I get to a point that would be useful to be through someone else's P.O.V. Eventually and at intervals, you will get things from Snape's P.O.V. Also note that this is more of a focused third person view, as I will almost NEVER write in First-Person. It's a pain in the @$$.

****

Story Last Updated: September 15, 2002  
  
Story Notes: This is probably one of the least changed parts... changed things around a little and added some stuff. Also, the part that I was working on before as Part 7 is being bumped up to Part 8, and I will be writing Part 8 as centering around Yule Ball ^_^

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART SIX -  
**"Merry Christmas"**  
  
______________________________________________________________________________

Christmas. One of the most _beautiful_ times of the year, in Lilium's opinion. She stood now at one of the windows of her quarters, smiling out at the white, sparkling snow that lay over everything. Her windows gave her a lovely view of the Forbidden Forrest, and also Hagrid's little shack. She occasionally took to watching the big man cross the grounds, usually in the company of Harry, Ron, and Hermione - sometimes also with Nii Nah Maxwell and Liam Crescent. 

Lilium liked Hagrid. She liked most of the teachers at Hogwarts, and took a special shining to Professor Lupin. They were a lot alike in their lack of humanity, as he was a werewolf and she a Dhampir. She also got along very well with Liam, and was able to help the girl with Lamia-related problems.

Lilium moved away from her window, and looked over her vast quarters. Her four-poster bed, dressed with a silver canopy and curtains, and black sheets and pillows trimmed with white velvet stood against the far wall. The door to her room stood on the other end of the room. She was pleased that you needed a password to enter - the portrait of a young girl hung in front of the door liked Lilium very much, and always made sure to let her know when she decided to change the password before she changed it. 

Her room was decorated with various tapestries, one solid mahogany desk with matching, black-cushioned chair, and several dozen candles and various sources of soft lighting. A wardrobe containing her few but varied clothes stood near her bed, a nightstand holding an alarm clock within arm's reach of the four-poster. Most of her clothes were silk or velvet - she loved the feel of the cloths against her skin. And most of her wardrobe were simple but elegant dresses or skirts - she didn't care much for pants.

Lilium's eyes drifted over to her full-length mirror, and she walked slowly over to it. She looked almost wraith-like - in winter, she became rather pale. It caused her to look a bit more vampiric, which always bothered her. 

Lilium studied her image in the mirror. Her red-brown hair was loose, the upper half pulled back into a silver clasp. Her violet eyes were bright, her pale cheeks stained slightly red by the chill air in her room coming in from her opened shutters. She was dressed in a white peasant's blouse and long gray skirt, a slit going up one side up to her knee, and her black boots. A heavy black woolen cloak trimmed with shining silver flowers on shimmering green vines. She still had her lips painted in her odd way - one black, one red.

She sighed, looking at herself a little sadly. Her love life was nonexistent. Once an interested wizard found out she was a Dhampir, he wasn't quite so interested anymore. It didn't usually bother her - she wasn't a very lonely person. But during times like Christmas, she felt alone.

Brushing the sad thoughts of loneliness out of her mind, Lilium walked over to her door, opening it and stepping out into the hall. Immediately after she had closed it and taken a few steps, the painting slid sideways from the left to cover the door. The young girl - a pretty child with golden ringlets, wearing a seventh-century style blue ball gown, with shining blue eyes - smiled at her.

"Where will you be going to now, Mademoiselle Beryl?" she asked sweetly, her voice light and tinted with a French accent. 

"Probably down to the banquet hall. Lunch will be served soon, and I wanted to get a chance to speak to Professor Lupin about helping him with his next class," Lilium replied.

"Professor Lupin is very nice," the girl said. "I visit the portraits in his room sometimes, and he's always kind enough to have a chat with me. Well, I will not hold you up any longer. Please enjoy your breakdast. Oh, I have decided to change the password - it's now _Mon Petite Chat._" 

"Thank you," Lilium said, smiling. "I'll remember that. See you later."

When Lilium reached the banquet hall, she marveled over the beautiful decorations that had been set up. She spotted Professor Snape going over to take his seat at the staff table. She grimaced a little. He'd been absent for most of the meals this past week, and hadn't been to breakfast, lunch, or dinner the previous day. Unfortunately, he had apparently decided to eat with the other teachers today.

"Merry Christmas!" came a cheerful chorus of voices from behind her. Lilium turned, and smiled. 

"Merry Christmas, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Nii Nah, Liam," she replied, greeting each of the small group. Students who had stayed at Hogwarts for the Christmas break had begun to file into the Hall, and the small group had come over to greet her.

"We have something for you," Ron said excitedly. He motioned to Harry and Hermione, who were holding something behind their backs. Lilium blinked in surprise. 

"For me?" she asked. This threw her off - she didn't usually receive gifts.

Harry offered her what he had behind his back. It was a small, lacquered black box with silver designs etched into it, which seemed to shift even as Lilium watched it, as if the lines were alive. Hermione produced a small golden key from behind her back.

Lilium took the box, staring at it in open wonder and delight. She looked up at the children, her eyes stinging with tears. "It's lovely," she said softly. "But it must have cost you a small fortune!"

"We went in on it together," Nii Nah said, beaming and hopping in place. Her curly blue hair bounced with her movement, and her blue eyes sparkled with merriment. 

"It didn't cost _too_ much," Hermione said. "We simply told the owner of the shop we got it from that it was for you. They like you there."

"And that's all the hint you're getting as to where we got it," Harry said with a grin.

"Open it," Liam said, her stoic voice tinted with what Lilium suspected was excitement. Always one to oblige and eager to see what was inside herself, Lilium inserted the key into the small keyhole in the front of the box, and gave it a turn.

The box's top opened slowly, and a small dancing fairy rose out of the box. Tinkling, beautiful music filled the air in the hall. A few heads turned to look curiously at the teacher and the group of students surrounding her. 

The fairy began to dance about, floating a foot above the box. She was made of silver, and enchanted, Lilium guessed, to appear alive. The craftsmanship on her face and wings was very detailed, and very realistic. Her long, flowing hair whirled about her as she danced through the air, swirling, her skirt flaring about her.

A small crowd of students had gathered around Lilium, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Liam and Nii Nah, and were watching the enchanted jewelry box with amazement. The music became louder as more people turned to listen to it, and filled the room with the sweet sound of harp, flute, and violin, weaving in a hauntingly beautiful melody. 

"It's a jewelry box," Hermione said quietly, as if afraid to drown out the music. "You can put anything really special to you in it."

"And no one can open it now but you, since it was given to you," Ron said. "The only person who could open it before was Harry, cause he was the one who did the actual buying."

If Lilium heard them, she made no sign of it. She was held, enraptured by the gift. By its beauty, and by the idea of having actually received something with no strings attached. Tears remained in her eyes, causing them to shine brighter than ever when she finally took her gaze from the jewelry box to look at the five children.

"Thank you."

*** }i{ ***

__

About five minutes previous...

Severus Snape sat in his usual seat as breakfast neared. He had been planning out the next term for the past week, and hadn't been eating with everyone else. He had finished his work and decided to attend meals today, since it was Christmas, and he had to go to the Yule Ball that night anyway. 

He glanced at the doors, and saw Instructor/Madam Lilium Beryl enter. Instructor was the best title that could be given to her, in his own mind - she wasn't a Professor, nor was she a Master, nor was she really old enough to be called a Madam. He frowned at the sight of her, and his frown deepened when he saw Potter and his little gang of mischievous friends approach her, Potter and Granger's hands behind their backs.

They couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen meters away from him, turned so that none of them were looking at him. Still frowning, he kept an eye on the group.

Snape's eyes searched their faces, his eyes narrowed. He could see them from a profile view, and saw the black box in Harry's hands. _That looks like one of the enchanted musical boxes that some shops are selling in Hogsmeade,_ he thought with a frown. _And _where_ did those children come up with the money to buy _that _little item? The sell regularly for one hundred galleons apiece... _

Snape watched silently, unnoticed again, as Lilium took the box from Harry with a surprised expression on her face. He noticed that she had a very expressive face, which was also very young-looking. How old was she? Twenty-one? Twenty-two? He believed Professor McGonagall had told him it was twenty-one. Very young, for a teacher at Hogwarts.

Snape's mind was snapped out of its reverie with the sound of the tinkling music of the box. He watched as the small, glowing fairy rose up into the air, and began to dance to the music. His eyes flitted to the Defense Against Vampires instructor's face, with the intention to then look at the children's faces. But his eyes were caught, staring, at Lilium's expression.

It was rapt, pure joy and wonderment. Her eyes were shining with what Snape assumed to be tears of joy. He watched her eyes as they moved, watching the fluid movement of the fairy dancing at her eye-level, silver lights cast upon her face. Snape noticed the gathering of children around Miss Beryl, and even saw Professors Flitwick and Sprout just at the edge of his peripheral vision as they watched and listened to the music box's antics.

But still, Snape's eyes never left Lilium's face, until Ron and Hermione's voices snapped her out of her rapture. He heard her thank them, then felt his own seeming trance fade as she slowly closed the music box. The fairy disappeared in a shower of silver sparkles after taking a bow. A collective sigh of disappointment filled the air, and the students and teachers all returned to their seats.

Snape's eyes moved from Lilium to the large crowd of students who had remained at Hogwarts for the Yule Ball, intermingled with the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and he looked among them, searching for any reason to hand out detention. He heard Lilium's soft footsteps behind him, and could feel her cloak brush his chair as she walked by, taking her assigned seat to his right, and he caught the scent of mint and vanilla. He pretended to ignore her as she settled into her seat, holding the black-and-silver box in her hands.

Stealing a brief glance out of the corner of his eye at the woman sitting next to him, Snape caught the small, touched smile, the glistening tears. For the first time since he had met her, she seemed truly happy, and truly at peace. The complete opposite of the violent and scathing woman he constantly found himself arguing with.

Snape looked away again, watching the children settle into their seats, and watching as the food began to appear on the tables. He was confused - he hadn't felt any of his customary malice toward Lilium when he had looked at her. He didn't understand why, and that annoyed him. He began to feel a tad frustrated. 

When breakfast was over, he returned to his office, thinking.

*** }i{ ***

__

"Merry Christmas to all of you who decided to stay for the break," Dumbledore said, greeting the students. "Today's lunch feast is especially happy, as it will be Madam Beryl's first Christmas feast at Hogwarts!" Cheering from the students who had grown to like Lilium. "This school year has been going grandly! I hope that this next term will be as grand as the last! The Triwizard Tournament is going smoothly, and the Yule Ball is all set for tonight! May the feast begin!"

Cheering and laughing filled the echoing halls. The biggest meal that day would be Lunch, as the Yule Ball that night would have a little less eating and a lot more festivities. Lunch was more like dinner that day at Hogwarts, and the large number of students - more than the usual number that stayed over Christmas holidays - were having fun talking of the ball that would arrive in a few hours.

Occasionally, an owl would fly in and drop someone a late gift. Ron Weasley and Harry Potter received late sweaters from Ron's mother, and Hermione got her gift from her parents - _Encyclopedia of Dangerous Creatures_, which included the ones she was studying in Defense Against Vampires and Defense Against the Dark Arts (and even Care of Magical Creatures, with Rubeus Hagrid as their teacher). 

To everyone's utter surprise, three owls delivered gifts to the High Table. One was to Professor Albus Dumbledore - a set of fine new robes for the Yule Ball. It turned out the teachers and students who admired Professor Dumbledore had each contributed a galleon, and they had ended up with enough to buy him a nice tailored set of robes.

The second gift was sent to Lilium. She blinked rapidly, double-checked the To address, and blushed when her fellow instructors joked to her about getting two gifts from students in one day, but it turned out it she wasn't sure if it _was_ from another student. Lilium wasn't sure _who_ it was from. It was a beautiful necklace - fancily wrought silver chain, from which hung a pendant. Upon it was a silver snake, beautifully detailed, set into an emerald. 

"Well, either it's from someone _in_ Slytherin," Professor McGonagall mused, "Or someone sent it to you _because_ you're in Slytherin."

There was no return address on the package, and the address looked like it had been typed onto the paper. Murmurings swept through the students that Lilium had a secret admirer, and Lilium's face grew even brighter. She avoided looking anyone in the eye after receiving the gift.

The last was a simple package to Professor Snape, which wasn't a gift at all - it was a late-arriving box of some Potions ingredient he had ordered, or at least that was what he _said. _

But later on that evening, an hour before Ball, in his own room, he opened the box cautiously and confusedly. Within was a small green-and-silver wrapped package. Frowning, trying to disregard the slight tremble in his long fingers as he delicately unwrapped the package.

Laying in his palm was a small, green-and-silver box . He opened it, cautious still, and blinked in surprise. 

Inside was a set of potions ingredients, and a piece of parchment. He read it. 

"**Vampire Poison**"  
  
_This potion is fairly easy to make. If the maker drinks it,   
preferably before stepping out at night, most vampires  
will avoid them, smelling the potion in their blood. But if   
they are fool enough to attack the drinker anyway, they   
will immediately be poisoned, and break off their attack.   
They will die within seven hours of drinking their victim's   
blood, either by the poison killing them in their sleep, or   
by it paralyzing them just before dawn.   
  
The effects depends on the final ingredient added, as   
noted in the instructions below.  
  
This is the only working draught known to Wizard-kind  
that effectively wards off and/or kills vampires._

Severus looked at the kit in his hands in bewilderment. He hadn't known this had even existed... but had heard, from Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, both that it was being worked on. And by the very same woman who was working for Dumbledore as Defense Against Vampires instructor.

The only person who knew the method of making this draught... was Lilium herself.


	7. Holiday Spirit

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**7/? ("… Holiday Spirit")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), (9/25/02) Draco/OC, and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on   
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Ah, the Yule Ball... Uee-hee-hee-hee! Most fun... Most fun indeed....  
  
**Story Last Updated: September 18, 2002  
**

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART SEVEN -  
**"… Holiday spirit"**  
  
______________________________________________________________________________

The air was full of excitement. The Yule Ball was about to begin! The only people not really happy were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley; they were with the Patil Twins, and neither of them wanted to be with either girl. Harry wanted to be with Cho Chang, and Ron was still aching over Fleur Delacour's cold shoulder. He was also rather angry at Hermione for agreeing to go with Viktor Krum, the Champion for Brumstang. 

Lilium Beryl sat up at the staff's dining table, watching the students enter. She smiled at Harry as he headed to his seat, and he smiled back, albeit nervously. As the dining began, she ordered a small salad from the menu, feeling odd speaking to her plate. She wasn't very hungry today, and spent most of dinner picking at her food, watching the students. 

It amused her greatly to see that Nii Nah Maxwell had agreed to come to the ball with Nevile Longbottom. She smiled at the pair when Nii Nah waved. But Lilium stared in shock when Draco Malfoy entered her line of sight, Liam Crescent on his arm. 

~_I knew he was interested in her,_~ Lilium thought bemusedly, ~_But I had no idea Liam was actually interested in him enough to actually come to Ball with him. That's a very strange twist on tonight's festivities...._~ 

Lilium stole a glance out of the corner of her eye at Professor Snape. He was dressed in his usual black, the hints of white at the collar and cuff visible. ~_Just no Holiday spirit,_~ she thought. Her attention was averted when Professor Lupin began speaking to her.

}i{

Professor Snape ate silently, glowering at the festivities. He found Yule Ball rather boring. The decorations - ice sculptures, faerie lights, and the like - were beautiful, and the atmosphere friendly, but Snape wasn't interested in it at all. Professor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang, kept throwing him agitated looks, appearing to be waiting for dinner to be over. 

~_He's probably going to bother me while I go about ground duty,_~ Snape thought in annoyance. ~_I don't know why he keeps bothering me - I feel the burn on my arm just as much as he, and I still don't know what to do about it.. I can't help him..._~

He was distracted from his thoughts as dancing began. He stood, and began to walk to the door and head for the grounds, but paused a moment, eyes on the dance floor.

The second song had begun, and Professor Lupin had asked Madam Beryl to dance. They waltzed gracefully across the dance floor together, carefully avoiding students and the rather large couple made by the huge Hagrid, and the equally large Madame Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy. 

Snape caught the sound of Lilium's tinkling laughter. Lupin and Lilium were both grinning, apparently having fun. Snape glowered at Lupin's back as he turned it toward the Potions Master, and for the briefest of moments, as Lilium spun away from Lupin, Severus caught a glimpse of the woman in entirety. 

Lilium was wearing floor-length dress robes buttoned on the top and open at the bottom to allow movement and to show the full skirt. The robes were crimson, trimmed with silver, faint patterns of snowflakes sewn into the fabric in silver thread. Under the robes she wore a plain green velvet skirt, hemmed in black, visible as the open bottom of her robes flared around her. Half of her hair was pulled back into a clasp made of silver snowflakes encrusted with rubies, the rest allowed to flow freely, forming tighter waves than usual. 

Her ruby lips were smiling, her violet eyes lightened to amethyst. Her joy shone in their expressive depths.

Lilium paused, and held her hand back out to Lupin, who took it, and they began to waltz once more. Snape felt a pang of annoyance, and he felt as if Lupin had no right to dance with Lilium and be happy. Just as he began to turn his head away, Lilium caught his eyes in hers, held them for the briefest of moments before spinning away.

As he walked out onto the grounds, Snape pondered on that glance. There was no malice in her eyes. She looked as if she wanted to call out to him, greet him, for a moment.... But no, he had read her expression wrong. That was rare, but Snape _did_ misread people... occasionally. Rarely. Almost never. But it was possible.. wasn't it?

}i{

__

Moments previous...

Lilium spun, feeling her spirits soar as she danced. Her every movement was fluid and graceful, matched surprisingly well by Lupin, who was an amazingly good dancer. As she finished twirling, and rejoined Lupin in their waltz, she looked over his shoulder. 

Professor Snape was standing there, watching the floor - watching _them_ - silently. His eyes met hers briefly, and she caught the look of resentment in his eyes. She had the feeling it was because everyone else was able to enjoy themselves, and he was so incapable of doing so himself. 

Feeling badly and not knowing why, she opened her mouth to call out, but was swept away by Lupin, and the moment was gone. She was still puzzled as to what she had seen in Professor Snape's dark eyes.

"You dance exquisitely," Lupin said in her ear. She grinned up at him. 

"So do you! I would never have guessed." He laughed merrily, and spun her yet again.

"This is more fun than I had thought it would be," Lupin commented. "It makes me glad I decided to stay."

"The feeling's mutual. Hard to believe I almost didn't take this job!" Lilium replied, curtsying as the song ended. Lupin grinned at her, his sandy hair a disheveled from the dance. He still looked tired and drawn from the last full moon, but his eyes were bright, and his face glowed. 

She felt a pang of fondness for the man. He really _was_ a lot like her; many people were unhappy that either of them had jobs at Hogwarts, and it was really very hard to socialize when people knew you weren't technically _human._ Even socializing with Muggles was preferable to most witches and wizards over socializing with Dhampir and Werefolk. 

Lupin excused himself, and went to ask Professor McGonagall to dance. As Lilium was about to retreat from the dance floor, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she smiled.

"Professor," she acknowledged. Professor Dumbledore smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling. 

"Would you care to dance, Madam Beryl, or are you tired after that amazing display with Professor Lupin?" Professor Dumbledore said, eyes smiling from behind his half-moon spectacles. Lilium grinned.

"Me, tired? Never! I'd be honored to dance with you, Headmaster!"

}i{

"You came with _him?_" Nii Nah's shock was so complete, she didn't bother to pull Liam aside, and pointed outright at Draco, who still had the Lamia on his arm. Draco's gray eyes narrowed angrily, and Liam's grip on his forearm tightened. She half-smiled at Nii Nah.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"..." Nii Nah looked from Liam to Draco and back again, then sighed and threw up her arms. "Ara!" She then turned to her own date, and latched onto his arm. "Let's get something to drink." 

With a single backward glance at Liam, Nii Nah dragged Neville off toward the tables with the bottles of butterbeer. 

"Why exactly _did_ you agree to come to the dance with me?" Draco asked, glancing at Liam. "I'm not exactly fond of any of your friends, and you've called me immature plenty of times." Liam smiled enigmatically. 

"True, you don't get along well with Nii Nah, or any of her fellow Gryffindors." Liam began drifting toward the dance floor, pulling Draco with her. Her silvery blue dress robes swished at her feet. "Why don't I just say that I came with you because everyone else was too afraid to ask me?"

"But they _weren't_," Draco protested. "Both _Weasley _twins asked you, three Slytherin boys asked you, and I heard Cedric Diggory was going to ask you, but your nekohito friend told him you already had a date, which you _didn't_ at the time."

"I wasn't planning on coming."

"Then why are you here with me?" Draco said, annoyed at her refusal to answer his question. He stopped her, and turned her to face him. Her black hair shone in rainbows from the nearby faerie lights. 

Electric-green eyes met gray with amusement. 

"Because I wanted to."

}i{

"_Donna toki datte, tada hitori de, ume wasurete, ikitekitanoni..._" Nii Nah sang as she danced around a bush cut to resemble a unicorn rampant. When she got near enough to it, it looked down at her with interest. 

"What are you saying?" Neville asked, puzzled. "I don't know that language."

"_Anata wa Nihon-go ga wakarimasu ka?_" Nii Nah replied, sing-song. Neville just looked at her blankly. She tossed her head, her blue hair bouncing. "The first was a song, the second was 'Do you understand Japanese?', which you don't." Nii Nah walked back over to Neville. "You know, you don't have to be so uncomfortable around me. You asked me to the dance, and I came with you because I think you're a cutie. So don't be so edgy!" 

Neville shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't _mean _to be all edgy... It's just that - EEP!"

Nii Nah had snatched him by the collar and hauled him behind a bush. She clamped one hand firmly over his mouth. 

"Shhhh!" Nii Nah hissed in Neville's ear. "Someone's coming. It's Snape." 

Nii Nah released Neville's mouth after saying that. Judging from class and the way the poor boy was shaking now, he'd be too scared to make any noise.

~_I wonder, I wonder, do you know what I wonder?_~ Nii Nah thought to herself. ~_I wonder who that is talking with Mr. Potions-Master-Man..._~

It was Karkaroff. The Headmaster for Durmstrang. 

Nii Nah hissed quietly. She didn't like that goateed man. She wrinkled her nose as he neared.

They were talking about something... something that was hurting Karkaroff. Something on his forearm. Nii Nah's forehead wrinkled in concentration as she strained her ears to hear them. Neville was squirming now and she had to clamp her arms around him to make him stop. Neville kicked out a bit, rustling the bushes. 

Nii Nah and Neville, realizing his mistake, both froze. Nii Nah looked out from the hole and saw Professor Snape's head as he froze, glanced toward the bush. Snape watched it for a moment as Karkaroff prattled on, waiting for it to move again. 

When he was satisfied that there was no one there, Snape moved on, blowing the next set of bushes apart with his wand. A boy and a girl squealed and dashed back toward the castle, Snape reducing their houses' points by ten each.

When Snape and Karkaroff were out of sight, Nii Nah relaxed her grip on Neville. They both crawled carefully out of the bushes.

"Nyaaaaaah... Wonder what that was all about," Nii Nah mewed. She checked about them and removed all of the leaves and twigs from her robes and Neville's, then dragged the boy back toward the castle.

"Nii Nah, why did you make us hide behind the bush?"

"I don't like Karkaroff. And do YOU want twenty points taken from Gryffindor?"

}i{

Festivities ended around midnight, and students were sent back to their bedchambers.

Lilium Beryl walked the darkened Slytherin halls, her robes in her hand, the skirt of her dress swishing softly against her ankles. Her eyes were on the stone floor, and she walked slowly, thinking. Reflecting.

Suddenly feeling a presence, Lilium looked up. She paused, as did the other in the corridor.

Severus and Lilium looked at each other in silence, both too tired to bother a snide remark or witty comment. After a long moment of silence, tilted her head to him.

"… Merry Christmas, Severus."

"… Merry Christmas…."

Lilium continued down the corridor, and to the stairs that lead to her room.

Severus went on his own way to take one last inventory of his stocks to make sure nothing had been stolen from his office.


	8. “Stealing is a crime…”

****

TITLE: Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies**  
ABBREVIATED TITLE: **BaP:S1  
**Part:**8/? ("Stealing is a crime…")  
**AUTHOR: **Cardinal Syn/Jamie Carlson  
**RATING: **PG-13 for Language and Adult Themes**  
SPOILERS: **Misc. Harry Potter spoilers  
**DISCLAIMER: **Harry Potter and all things HP belong to JK Rowling. Not me. The characters Lilium Beryl, Liam Crescent, and Nii Nah Maxwell belong to me.  
**NOTES: **Dhampir is one of the many spellings for a creature that is half-vampire and half-human. Also, this is a "continuation" of my first Harry Potter Fanfiction, "Searching for Acceptance", (which wasn't very good in my eyes, but I'm trying harder here!) and contains the characters Liam and Nii Nah, introduced in S4A.  
**WARNINGS: **Language and adult themes. **  
PAIRINGS: **Hints at Ron/Hermione, Snape/OC (original character), and a one-sided Liam/Nii Nah later on  
**MAIN CHARACTERS (in order of most prominent in the story): **OC (original character) and Severus Snape; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Liam and Nii Nah Maxwell; Albus Dumbledore and the other teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry  
**FANFICTION.NET SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to hire a Defense Against Vampires specialist, who accepts with great hesitation - as she is a dhampir herself.  
**EXTENDED SUMMARY: **Albus Dumbledore has decided that it is time for Hogwarts to have a fulltime Defense Against Vampires teacher, and has chosen a renowned vampire specialist. But this vampire specialist is a bit hesitant to take the offer as she, herself, is a Dhampir; half-vampire, half human. When she decides to turn down the position, something interesting happens that changes her mind, and makes her decide to stay....  
  
**A/N:** Apologies for any mistakes in relevance book-wise. I still need to finish reading what books are out, and it has been almost two years since I finished reading even the _first_ book. Feel free to correct anything in a review, or email me at vampgirl0009@yahoo.com with notes about mistakes, whether it be name-spelling or whatever. (Kindly put "Your Harry Potter fanfiction" in the subject, and copy-paste the offending line, paragraph, or word and tell me what I did wrong. The same goes for reviews!) This story, I hope, is better than **Searching for Acceptance** was. I rushed **S4A**.   
  
On another note, I figure I might as well tell you now (though I didn't bother to in previous parts, which I apologize for - I'm an idiot, ignore me). Most of this will be through Lilium's P.O.V. (Point of View to anyone who is new to Fanfiction Jargon), until I get to a point that would be useful to be through someone else's P.O.V. Eventually and at intervals, you will get things from Snape's P.O.V. Also note that this is more of a focused third person view, as I will almost NEVER write in First-Person. It's a pain in the @$$.  
  
**Chapter note:** This one doesn't have a lot of Lilium, but centers around the Slytherins and Nii Nah. So the title was taken form a quote from Severus instead of Lilium =)

______________________________________________________________________________  
Blood and Potions - Section One: Of Snakes and Night Skies  
PART EIGHT -  
**"Stealing is a crime…"**  
  
______________________________________________________________________________

"Isn't it vampire's bane?" asked a timid Hufflepuff. Lilium smiled gently.

"So-called vampire's bane isn't a vampire poison," she said. Professor Snape glanced at her from his desk.

The children from Lilium's Defense Against Vampires Class were currently all in Professor Snape's dungeon classroom. Dumbledore had arranged with Severus to allow Lilium to conduct her herbs and potions section of the class in his room, even with his aid. It had taken Lilium a full three months to get a hold of the needed herbs and other items, as Professor Snape couldn't be bothered to loan her any. 

Now, Lilium was discussing herbs with her favorite set of students, the set with the Gryffindor-(plus-one-Slytherin) group in it.

Lilium addressed the whole class. "Vampire's bane doesn't really exist - in fact, the plant called vampire's bane by those ignorant of its _real_ properties is a mint hybrid grown in the wild," she said. "I'm not going to use its actual medical name here, as it is a very problematic herb."

"Is that because it doesn't poison vampires, but harms humans in some way?" Draco Malfoy asked, hopeful. Lilium smirked.

"Quite the reverse. It is actually a very powerful _aphrodisiac._ Its effects are _far_ from poisoning someone." She laughed silently to herself at the shocked look on many of the children's faces. 

"Oh yeah? And how would YOU know this?" Draco asked, sneering. Lilium smiled at him pleasantly.

"My step-father used to grow it and slip it into the drinks of women he wished to feed upon. It made them easier prey." She felt a minor pang of satisfaction with the disgusted look on Draco's face. "Are there any more questions on vampire's bane?" The students shook their heads. "All right, I think that about sums it up for the day.... Ah, yes, Hermione?"

"Is there such a thing as a poison that effects vampires?" she asked. Lilium closed her eyes for a moment, absently leaning against Snape's desk - far away from where he was sitting, of course.

"The most effective poison to vampires is feeding them the blood of something that had been dead before they got their hands on it, and if it is laced with a _human _poison it has more effect," she remarked, but her eyes were clouded. There was something more to it than that. Draco caught this look and glanced over at Professor Snape, who was looking at her curiously out of the corner of his eye.

"What about that vampire poison you're supposedly working on?" Draco asked casually. "Father mentioned it." Lilium's head jerked up, and she stared at him. There was a look of cold annoyance in her eyes, which were narrowed slightly, the look causing Draco to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Why was she so touchy about her poison?

".... That is confidential and isn't supposed to leave the confines of the Ministry of Magic, and a few choice sources. I'll have to have a word with Mister Malfoy," she said in a clipped voice. "Class dismissed." 

She turned, and walked out the door, her robes swishing around her. 

As she gathered her things, Hermione noticed that Lilium's footsteps had made noise. The only other time she had actually been able to _hear_ Lilium's footsteps was back at the Christmas Feast. ~ _She_ _must not be concentrating on walking softly when she's upset or distracted,_~ the brunette thought.

"Well, what was _that _all about?" Draco said loudly. "Father doesn't trust her, you know. He says that when he's met her, she'd been very on-guard around him. Acted _very_ untrustworthy." He looked over at Crabbe and Goyle, who snickered. 

"Not as untrustworthy as your _dad_," Harry Potter muttered under his breath, gathering his things. Draco grabbed him by his shirt and jerked Harry around to face him. 

"What did you just say, _Potter?!_" 

"That will be quite enough." Professor Snape's voice cut through the sudden excited rabble of the children, egging on a fight. "Go on to your next classes. There will be no fighting in my classroom," he snapped. Draco released Harry reluctantly, and Ron, who had been aiming his wand at Draco's head, lowered his arm slowly.

On their way out, Draco turned to speak to Liam. He blinked at the angry look on her face.

"That was immature," Liam remarked. As she walked away, Professor Snape was the only person to notice the crestfallen expression on Draco's face.

~ _Those two would certainly be an interesting combination,~_ he thought. ~_ I wonder... why _was _Miss Beryl being so agitated over a remark about her vampire poison?_~

At Christmas, he had received a package with instructions to _make _that particular poison, as well as enough of the ingredients to make one draught. He suspected Lilium herself had sent it to him. But if it was confidential, if she wasn't even willing to speak of it to her own class, why would she send it to him?

Idly, of its own will, Snape's mind drifted back to the necklace she had received on Christmas, of the pendant with the silver snake embedded in emerald.... She had been wearing it since Christmas, under her robes, but Severus could see the finely wrought chain gracing the gentle slope of her pale, slender neck. He frowned softly to himself, before gathering his things and going to his office.

}i{

"GIVE IT BACK!" Nii Nah screeched.

"Give WHAT back?" Pansy Parkinson asked, smirking and swinging the locket she held between thumb and forefinger of her right hand. "You mean _this_ ugly little thing? Who'd you get it from, your _boyfriend?_" the Slytherin girl mocked, her little group of Slytherin lackeys chortling behind her.

"It's none of your business!" Nii Nah snapped, eyes filling with angry tears as she darted forward in an attempt to get her locket back. She hissed in anger as Pansy threw the item to Blaise, who tossed it to a passing Slytherin boy, who dashed down the hall with it.

Screaming for them to give it back, Nii Nah threw herself at the crowd of Slytherin girls who were attempting to keep her from following the boy who had her locket. Shedding her work robe, Nii Nah crouched low, and leaped clear over their heads, nearly bashing her own on the low arch of the doorway.

Nii Nah tore down the hallway, catching the faintest flutter of robe around this corner, smelling the boy's spicy sent here, hearing the pounding of dashing feet there. Finally she rounded the corner, nearly on the boy's heals -

"OOF!"

Nii Nah fell backward, landing painfully on her tail. She looked up to see the angered face of Professor Snape. She had ran into him, the force of her blow knocking the vial of what smelled like Viritaserum to the floor. The vial cracked, but the serum didn't spill.

Hearing the boy's snickers fade as he dashed away, Nii Nah gave Snape a quit "I'm sorry!" before leaping to her feet to chase after the boy. She was stopped when Snape grabbed hold of her arm in a vice-grip.

"_Ten_ points off of Gryffindor for your lack of common courtesy, and another five for being disruptive," Snape growled, his voice low and dangerous. Seeing all chances of getting her locket back slip from her fingers, as elusive as loose sand, Nii Nah broke down in tears.

"_PLEASE, _Professor Snape, he stole my locket! Please, I have to get it back, it's the only precious thing I own!" Nii Nah wailed. The cat girl's sobs echoed in the stone-built hall, empty of life but for Snape and Nii Nah.

Severus frowned at the girl. She had buried her face in her hands, but he had no doubt that she was sincere. Her small frame shook violently with her grief for her lost locket, making it rather apparent to Severus that she didn't believe he would possibly help her get her locket back. He sighed.

"Thievery isn't permitted on school grounds. It was that Nygel Banks?" Snape asked. He frowned darkly when Nii Nah looked up at him hopefully, but inside he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She was treated badly by many students, not just the Slytherins, simply because she wasn't human. Even Snape disapproved of this behavior.

"Um.. I think so… Light brown skin and black dreadlocks?" Nii Nah asked, sniffling.

"Yes," Snape sighed. "That sounds like him." He had been having trouble with a small group of Slytherin boys who had decided that they could get away with stealing from other students - and even their teachers!

"I suppose he's gone to the common room. Come along, Maxwell," Snape said, turning. His black robes billowed around him. "Where are your work robes, Maxwell?" he asked, realizing she wasn't wearing them.

"I.. *sniffle* had to get leave it outside of McGonagall's room. *sniffle* It would have gotten in the way when I jumped over that group of Pansy's friends." Nii Nah responded, still sounding a bit tearful.

"You.. _jumped_ over them?"

"Uh-huhn."

"…." Walking behind him as she was, Nii Nah couldn't see the small smiled that threatened to force itself to become a grin playing at Snape's lips.

}i{

Draco Malfoy hated Gryffindors.

He hated Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and that know-it-all mudblud, Hermione Granger. And he _really_ despised that _nekohito_, Nii Nah. But that wasn't simply because she was Gryffindor, but because she got to spend so much time with Liam. If it wasn't for her, Liam would be able to while away her free hours in the Slytherin common room - with Draco. 

But even though he hated her, when Nygel came rushing into the Slytherin common room swinging Nii Nah's locket above his head and hooting as if he had won the Qudditch Cup all by himself, Draco felt sorry for her. He was disgusted with himself for it, but he _did._ Liam was changing him, he realized: not deliberately, but she was doing it.

"Lookit!" Nygel crowed. "I've got that cat girl's locket! Shall we see who's inside, eh?" He stood in the center of Slytherin gawkers and depressed the button on the side.

The locket, a simple silver oval with an equally simple silver chain, opened up to reveal a single moving image of Nii Nah and Liam on the left side, and a note scribbled on the other. The print and image were both tiny, as the locket was barely the size of a large black olive, but Nygel managed to read it.

"'_To my only friend in a hostile world, with love, Liam,_'" Nygel read. The small moving image was of Nii Nah hugging Liam, who was having a hard time offering a sincere smile for the camera. Nii Nah looked overjoyed in the picture.

"Give it here, Nygel," Draco said, his voice mock-chipper, the undertone laced with his annoyance, which went unnoticed.

"Were this anyone else's, I would, Drake," Nygel said, grinning. He stuffed the locket into the inner pocket of his black work robe. "But this one belongs to that cat-girl, and I'm keeping' it for myself."

"Indeed?"

The voice was low, smooth, and cut through the air like a knife. Everyone in that room knew - and loved - that voice. But they had never heard that tone used on a fellow Slytherin before.

The group of Slytherins gathered in the common room turned to look at the porthole that lead out. Standing just inside of the common room was Professor Snape. And to the shock of every girl and boy in the room, Nii Nah Maxwell was standing just behind him, looking nervous and fidgety. 

"Err.. Hallo, Professor," Nygel said, edging toward the back of the room.

"I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you?" Snape replied smoothly, gliding toward Nygel and folding his arms. The boy glanced at Nii Nah, then at Snape.

"I dunno what you're talking about, Prof," Nygel said. He tried to sound chipper, but everyone could hear the nervousness straining his voice. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Nii Nah caught a glimpse of the stairs to the girl's dormitory. Liam was stalking down them, her narrowed, brilliantly green eyes glued on Nygel. Liam's mouth was drawn into a tight line.

Suddenly, Draco stood from his seat, where he had been lounging in front of the fireplace. He walked over to Nigel and threw his arm around the boy's shoulder.

"Now then, Nygel, no reason to lie is there?" he said in his smoothest conversational tone. He reached quickly into Nygel's robe pocket and procured the necklace. He tossed it to Snape before Nygel could snatch it back.

"DRACO! What the hell did you do THAT for?!" Nygel snapped as Draco slid away from him.

"Because he has _inevitably _more sense than you apparently do," Snape hissed as he dangled the locket by its chain from his crooked fingers. 

"Stealing is a crime that I _will not tolerate_, even from my own Slytherin," the Potions professor snarled. He thrust the locket back at Nii Nah, who took it with shaking hands. She dashed over to Liam, who was now standing at the base of the stairs, and threw herself into the Lamia's arms. "Detention for you, Mr. Banks," Professor Snape finished.

"But I'm not the one who took it! Pansy did!"

"Ten points off of Slytherin for each of you, then, and detention for Pansy as well…" Snape said, his voice laced with deadly calm. "Ten more if I find out either of you skips detention. You will come to see me tonight after your classes to speak about it, and I suggest you bring Pansy. Come, Maxwell!"

Snape whirled around, exiting through the portal hole. Nii Nah hesitantly dislodged herself from Liam, and followed quickly.

"Why did he do that?!" a Slytherin boy raged. "He took points away from us!"

"Just think of how much worse it would have been if _she _went to McGonagall instead!" snapped Draco. "Or worse, Headmaster Dumbledore! As it is, we're getting off lightly! Either of them would have taken fifty points off, easy, and you would have been expelled, Nygel. Pansy too!"

Liam walked slowly over to Nygel. 

"You and Pansy stole the locket I gave Nii Nah?" she asked quietly.

"… Yeah, we **did**, you got a problem with that?" Nygel snapped. He regretted it when Liam's serpentine eyes flared.

"Yes, actually. I do." She turned and headed for the still-open port hole. Draco watched her, and followed when she threw a glance at him over her shoulder. As Liam and Draco exited, she called back to Nygel.

_"Beware, my child, the poison snake  
Who hides inside your bed.  
For if he bites you, dear, just so,  
By morning you'll be dead._"

__

As the porthole closed, Nygel looked about him. The faces of his fellow Slytherin were angry and fearful.

__

"'_Which hides inside your bed…_'" a girl repeated. "Um, I'd watch out for snakes hidden in your bedcover from now on, Nygel…."

For the rest of his life, Nygel Banks would be afraid of snakes. Eventually, he had to transfer out of Hogwarts because Slytherin house was associated with snakes.


End file.
